The firstlight of the day had just started to spread its streamers of radiance inside the house...
The house was well decorated with choicest beautiful flowers everywhere...
The flowers along with incense sticks were filling the house with its special peaceful fragrance as much as they can...
The place was high on sound with devotional songs hitting all ears to come out of the early morning dozy mood...
Added to it were voices and shouts of people who were busy with their individual assigned works roaming around the house at full tilt , gave the high spirits for the rest of the day...
The loud giggles of ladies from the backyard  complemented the function ambiance so well whereas the gents were no where found at the place just like a restricted area...

Over to the backyard...

There was a panthal made up to cover the happenings from outsiders as the first auspicious ceremony of marriage was about to start in sometime...
It is a beautiful one where bride will be applied with a paste prepared by ladies of home just to make her skin glow and shine followed by a ceremonial bath...
It was also for lessening stress of the bride and giving positive vibes for the entire marriage day...

And for that...

A big barrel of water was placed alongside the chair which was placed on the center...
A wide container with a paste of turmeric,  fresh rose water, milk, oil, sandalwood powder and lemon juice was ready to be anointed on her...

Her...

Mullai...

The happy and contented bride to be...

She was taken to the backyard and made to sit on the chair...
She was dressed up in a bright yellow skirt and a matching yellow top and accessories...
Her hair was splaying out her shoulders and few strands playing with her forehead...
The dark red mehandi on her hands, her crimson cheeks, wide smile on her lips and eyes full of bliss was a real treat to watch...
The enthusiasm and ecstasy was very much obvious in every move of her which contagiously spread to the eyes witnessing them...

P : arambikalaama...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhhh....  naangalum arambikarom....

M : inum...

Suj : nee pesama ukaaru.... engaluku theriyum...

Kas mom : arambichudalam parvathi... neram aachu...

P : sari athachi... neenga mudhala panunga...

Kasthuri's mom started with the first custom of applying the paste to mullai's cheeks using the mango leaves...

Mullai twitched a little with the touch of the chilled paste on her skin...

M : acho chill nu iruku...

Man : December maasathula kalyanam vecha ipadi than...

Kas : athum oru vagaila nallathu than eh de...

Suj : yen athachi... yena nallathu...

Kas : kalyanathuku appuram nalla kulura irukum... verkaathu...  vasathiya irukum...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Kas :  ada climate nalla irukume nu sonen de... neenga yena nenachenga...

Swar : naanga yethume nenaikala athachi...

Chorus : aaaaaaammaaaaaaaa...

Kas mom : ada chumma irunga de... yepo paarum kathitu...

She lavishly applied the paste all over her face, neck and hands...

P : mullaa kaal kaami...

M : aiyo venam...

Dh mom : yen de...

M  : chumma per ku than eh atha.. ithe pothum... kulurum vera...

Dh mom : yethu pothum... kuluruma... athu sari... sadanga elam olunga pananum... antha kaalathula verum paavadai mattum tha katipanga... ipo than ithuku nu oru dress vaangi aatam podarenga... olunga kaalla kaami...

Chorus : mulllaaaaaaaa... oh hoooooooo....

P : yethuku de katharenga... avanga sari ah than solranga...

Swar : chumma aunty....

Chorus : aaaaammmmaaaa...

P : ungala thirutha mudiyaathu...

Mullai pulled up her skirt below the knee for more ease and it was smeared with more and more haldi paste...

Other elders continued to do the custom one by one and once they were done the real fun started as they cousins and friends started theirs...
Unlike the elders who did apply one at a time, the girls did the custom in gang...

Two took over applying in mullai's hands, one for face and two applied for legs all at the same time with tickles making mullai squirm and giggle with crimson cheeks...

M : hey please... at a time la yen ipadi panrenga... oruthar oruthara panalam illa...

Man : athelam apadi than... 

Suj : time save panranga mulla...

M : atleast kichu kichu mootathenga... please... oru madhiri iruku...

Swar : athum mudiyaathu...

Dh mom : yen mulla ithuke oru madhiri na mathathelam yepadi...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Kar : aunty engala vida neenga yelarum nalla otarengale...

Suj mom : Appuram intha sadangu elam yethuku.... santhoshama kindal pani sirichutu iruke than eh...

Dh mom : aama... naanga yellam pesa arambicha  neenga thaanga maatenga...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhhh....

The fun continued till all the paste got over and mullai was completely done with teasing...

M : happa... mudinjutha...

Suj : inum mudiyalaa... manju ka...

Man : start panidalam....

Manju poured a mug of water from the barrel on mullai making her shiver....
Off course the water was hot enough for bath and it had some herbs along to soothe the bride to be not to catch cold or what ever...
But the december morning climate and the sudden pour of water did send chills all the long the spine to mullai and she grabbed her mom's saree reflexively...

After the first mug, it was like a real deluge of rain on her head...
Water was splashed from all sides on her as the elders moved little away with initial few mugs of water enjoying mullai getting totally drenched in chillness as well as the happiness of the cermeonial bath...

M : pothum...

She muttered under her breath but it went unnoticed...

The splashes continued and it turned into a fun play when mullai caught hold of the mug and managed to pour it on manju...

The mood suddenly changed to a playful one where everyone started playing around...
As the play started, few more mugs were bought and it was time for exact play by showering water over everyone...

The elders too didnt get a chance to escape...

Suji was the only one spared considering her health and all others including kasthuri, gayathri, manju and the chorus gang were all done...

Once the barrel was empty, they switched to the hose pipe taking turns and got wet more and more happily...
A custom soon turned to a commotion and elders had a tough time stopping it...
They had to shout more than younsters to get hold of them and ordered them to get ready...

San mom : happa... ada pothum pothum de... tank thaniye therndhudum... niruthunga...

Dh mom : aama pa... sikiram yelarum poi kulichutu vaanga... panthakal podanum... nalla neram poidum...

Finally they had to wrap up the fun for time being reluctantly...

Chorus : okkkkkkkkkk...

P : aama mulla... sikiram poi kulichutu vaaa... heater poturuken... eeram serathu vera... neengalum than...

M : sari ma...

Chorus : okkkkkkkkkkkkkk aunty... two minutes...

They all sat in the empty places found drying themselves and mullai too settled in a empty chair getting the mobile from suji with a blushing smile...

Her smile became wider seeing her kathir in the video call as she switched on to front camera...

After few seconds, His voice came out in a mesmerizing tone... More than the voice, the eyes were...

K : Oi...

M : hmmmm....

K : .....

No answer from him...

He was too dumb even to respond to her...

The day started so well with a wake up call from mullai to inform that the haldi ceremony is going to start in few minutes and suji would do a video call from there...

All he wanted was a video of it to admire her and  this video call idea was a thrilled package for him... He never had any idea how this custom is going to be...

Though in olden days, haldi ceremony was done for both bride and bride groom overtime it faded away to the bride alone in his family...
So it was not a part of his custom...

But it did sound interesting and he wanted to  witness it happening to her and he was going to...

Excitingly he waited for call lying on the bed and joined on time...

He should say every second over the call was pure bliss...

The moment she entered the backyard, how fresh she looked amidst the morning blues,  the way she enjoyed the haldi, the way she blushed for the teasing talks , the way she shivered with the water and final play everything took his heart wholly...

He felt it was a beautiful start for their big day...

More than all...

Of all things done...

Of talks going on...

Once in a while her eyes shifted to the camera who ever was holding it as if it was him...

He felt as if her eyes were piercing his everytime through the video call giving him a missing heartbeat...

He couldnt believe it was just the camera lens she was looking at...

As he was enjoying all fun, suji gave the mobile to mullai shifting to front camera...

And now....

All he could do was just stare in wonder at her...

Till now what he experienced was different from what he was going through now...
The aftereffects of completely drenched in water, he could see water droplets  all over her face and  some dripping from her eye lids and hair...
Her face was shimmering with the haldi paste and the rays of sun falling on her abundantly...

She was holding the mobile in one hand and drying herself with the other...

Then....

He sighed...

He reproached himself for his words...

"selfie la oru mannum theriyaathu... venam..."

But the selfie angle was so tempting...

The wet dress sticking to her shape did unveil lot more than expected turning him on...

M : Oi...

K : hmmm...

M : paathengala... happy ah...

K : paathute iruken... romba happy...

M : neenga ivalo neram video call la paathenga nu veetula therinjuthu na avalo than... neenga ithelam paakalama nu kuda theriyala...

K : na paakarathuku than eh ithelam...

By now mullai got the difference in his looks and talks...

M : na loudspeaker la pesaren... konjam paathu pesunga...

K : nalla paathu than pesaren....

M : kaalangathala yenga ipadi...

K : kaalangathala paaka vendiya scene than ithu... athan than ah varuthu...

M : appo...

P : mullai... poi kuli nu soli yevalo neram achu... photo elam yedutha varai pothum... mudhala po...

Chorus : hooooooooooo... photooooooooooo...

Parvathi who thought mullai was clicking selfie urged her to go for bath and she too consented shushing her girls...

M : poren ma...

Yenga... appuram kupidatuma..

K : oru five minutes de...

M : amma paatha thituvanga...

K : room ku poi pesu...

M : sari line la irunga...

Mullai informed her friends who were busy with selfies and groupies joined for a couple of pictures and left to the room...

M : Sollunga...

K : ne sollu...

M : yethu na solava... jamm nu nalla sogusa paduthutu sight adichitu sollu nu cool ah solreya... na yepadi iruken nu theriyuthu illa...

K : theriyaranala than eh solren... ne pesu enala pesa mudiyalainu...

M : athu sari... kuluruthunga... dress full ah eeram...

K : aama kashtam than ilaa... sari poi kuli po...

M : hmmm sari nga... vekaren... function mudinjathum kupidaren...

K : vekariya... yethuku...

M : kulikanum nga...

K : na than nethe full video ketene.. appuram yena cut panre... athelam line la ye irukatum...

M  : yenathu... yenga ungaluku vekkaama illaa...

K : illaye..

Oi... ne than eh sonne.. nalangu maavu thechuvitu kulikarathu than intha function nu... na full ah video venum sonapo ne othukita than eh... appuram yena maathi pesare...

M : yenga na kulikarathunu sonathu avanga thani utharatha... athan mudinjuthe...

K : yethu dress oda thani otharathu per kuliyal ah...

M : aama pinna yena full ah kulichu viduvaanga... nalla iruke ithu... avalo than kulipaatarathu...

K : sari athan kulichache appurama ipo yethuku kulikare... kulika venam... dress mattum maathiko...

M : yenga manjal, ennai Elam senthu oru madhiri iruku... kandipa kulikanum...

K : aama oru madhiri than iruku...

M : yenga... please...

K : aama periamma sonangale verum paavadai than poduvaanga nu nee yethuku full dress poturuka...

M : hmmmkmm  ithuke neenga phone ah vekkara madhiri illaa... ithula athu vera...

K : sari paravala vidu... dress la yena iruku... enaku onum prachanai illaa... ippo poi kuli po... time achu... na paathutu poganum...

M : neenga call ah cut panunga mudhala... ungakita yellam pesi jeika mudiyathu...

K : appo full video illaya... cha....

M : ungaluku video call panathe thappu... veinga mudhala...

K : pode...

Mullai smiled at his peeved look... He looked so sunny in his "just woke up" look with dishelved hair and lying position... His cute reactions added more charm to him...

M  : kochukatheya... oru naal than eh... naalaiki intha neram kalyanam mudinjurukum... appuram video thevai illaaye...

K : parraaa...

M : heart valikitha...

K : romba...

M : valikatum valikatum...

K : sari na chumma than sonnen... mudhala poi kuli... appuram pesalam...

M : kovama vekareyala...

K : cha cha... vita na ipadiye unna paathute vambu panite irupen... unaku uthukaathu... ne po... naanum ready aganum...

M : aamanga... 7.45 ku nalla neram... ippove 7 mani achu...

K : hmmm... naanum poren...

M : saringa... appuram kanna video anuparen nu sonan... maranthuda poran... niyabagam panidunga...

K : hmmm solidaren...

M : ok nga...

K : Oi...

M : hmmm...

Their voices and gaze softened at a stroke and they shared a second of meaningful silence... All they could do was disconnect the call with just a head nod and rushed to get ready...

7.45 AM...

Kathir'S home...

Everyone got decked up and assembled at the entrance for the panthakaal puja...

Jega and jeeva was digging a hole in a corner for the panthakaal while all others were looking at the things done and kanna was busy capturing the moments...

Je : pothum mapillaa... sari ah irukum...

J : sari mama...

Ka : apadiye oru pose...

As they started posing...

L : dei neram achu... ne vera... selvi, dhanam, meena... arambinga ma...

Se : sari chithi...

They cleansed the bamboo pole with water, milk,  sandlewood and tumeric paste...

Followed by that, they applied kumkum and tumeric...

A yellow cloth was tied to the pole with mango leaves and flowers...

L : katiyaacha... ipo niruthidunga...

D : mudinjuthu athai...

Kum : moorthy... neeyum jegavum senthu niruthunga... moonu per matum pana kudathu...

Mo : sari mama...

Moorthy, jega, selvi, dhanam and jeeva   erected the pole on the hole and covered it with mud...

Ka : apadiye inga paarunga... video...

Sru : mama... naanum...

Ka : aama paapa neeyum vanthu nillu... bala, karthi neengalum vaanga...

All smiled at the camera and proceeded with the custom by sprinkling rose water...

After performing harati with camphor and incense sticks, finished it off with breaking the coconut...

Je(patting kathir's back) : mapillaa... panthakaal strong ah potachu... ne vasama maatiyachu... yaarum unna kaapaatha mudiyathu...

K : yen mama...

Je : neenga vera mama... ivan kita irunthu than antha pullaiya kaapaathanum...

L : athu yenamo unmai than...

K : maaa neengaluma...

L : chumma da..

Ka : sari sari pesinathu pothum.. ivalo than ah.. inum iruka...

Me : avalo than da.. poi sapida vendiyathu than...

Ka : irunga final ah oru video panthakaal oda yeduthukaren...appuram poi namma velaiya paapom...

L : yethuku da ipadi vazhachu vazhachu yedukare...

Me : avan puthu anniku  anupanumaam athai...

L : oh ho... appo sari... yedunga yedunga...

He captured the pole, the ties , everyone over there, made the kutties shout, spoke few words in selfie camera along with dhanam, meena and selvi...

Finaly moved on to kathir who beamed with a wink....

Ka : anni paarunga.. anne ungala paathu kan adikaraaru...

K : peh da...

Chorus : hoooooooooooooooo....

M : chumma irunga de.. kathaatheya...

Ta : nanga chumma irunthalum anne irukarathu illaye...

Kar : aama engagement la irunthe anne ithe velaiya than de irukaaru... nan than sonaane.. appove athan ah per munnadi kan adicharu nu.. paaaru ipo anupara video la kuda kan adikaaraaru...

De : athuku munnadi veetula adichathu yena kanaku...

M : adiye... atha vida maateengala neenga...

Chorus  : nooooooooooooo...

Kas : athai.... avaru ipo than kupitaaru... mapilla veetula panthakaal potaacham... vaaanga namma poduvom...

Dh : ithuku than akka venumgrathu... yepadi advanced ah iruka paaru...

Man : hmmkkmmm... athachi advanced ah...

Suj : athan eh.. audio ke ithana scene ah... inga panthakaal pota video eh vanthaachu...

Kas : kaami de inga... unga anna apadi yena oor la illatha athisayama inga kuda varaama thangachi veetula pantha kaal podararu nu na paakaren...

San : ne vida maatiya.. athan mama anga mudichutu udane kelambi varen nu sonaru illaa... rendu nimishathula vanthuduvaru...

Kas : hmmkmmmm...

Mu : ada athelamn appuram paakalam... vaanga velaiya paapom...

They moved out to the entrance and started with the same procedures again...

Jega reached in sometime and they erected the panthakaal and finished the pooja happily with prayers for a happy and peaceful wedding...

San : mullaa kalyanam kalai katta arambichachu...

Chorus : heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....

As everyone moved in, Mullai sat watching the video again and again trying to get sight of kathir in it... 

How many ever times she saw she couldnt get enough of him...

At the sametime, kathir was also in same state...

Yes, the happenings were recorded by suji sankar and was sent to kathir and kanna...

Kas : kudu de.. antha video ah paapom...

M : aiyo athachi...

San mom : yen de kaathare.. panthakaal video than eh... kudu...

M : athula perusa onum illaa atha...

Dh mom : ada kudu de...

Suj : paarunga aana pathu second munnadi niruthudunga...

Chorus : aaaaaaammaaaaaaaa...

Dh mom : apadi yena iruku...

Everyone saw the video in turns and ended up with giggles...

Murugan and parvathi shared a happy look seeing blushing mullai...

Suj : ipo purinjutha video la yena iruku nu...

Chorus : ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Mu (smiling) : ada vidunga ma... poi velaiya paarunga... ponga... mathiyam oru maniku mandapathuku poganum...

While everyone dispersed in mullai's home, it was a funny family time at kathir's...

The family saw the videos taken in mullai's home and enjoyed the moments by teasing kathir...

Se : chithi... nalla than marumagala pidichurukenga... oru oru nerathula oru oru madhiri azhaga iruka...

L : aama selvi... romba...

J : appuram chumma ah ivan mayangi poi paithiyam aavaan...

K : anne...

Sru : mama... chumma paithiyam illaa.. athai mela paithiyam...

K : paapa...

Sru : unaku support panen maama...

K(sarcasticaly) : nalla panra maa neee...

That followed a series of naughty talks and loud laughter...

Mo : sari... pothum pothum... mathiyam mandapathuku namma than mudhala kelambanum... late pana appuram ponnu veetukaranga vara neram agidum...

poi velaiya paarunga...

L : aama pa... ponga... kalyanam mudinjathum nithaanama pesuvom...

Everyone accepted and went back to their work...

Thus leaving the happy bride and groom alone in their respective rooms...

K msg : Oi...

M msg : hmmm...

K msg : kan adicha thirumba adikanum...

M msg : apadiya...

K msg : aama ithu kuda theriyalaina yepadi...  ipadi mottaiya ah video anuparathu...

M  msg : athu yelarum paapaghale.. athan...

K msg : ithu velaiku aagathu... nan vera aalu paathukaren...

M msg : ( video)

She sent a small video with a wink making him grin...

M msg : intha video paathikite poi vera aalu paarunga...

K msg : double ok...

M msg : double ok ah...  porukki...

K msg : thank you madam...

M msg : welcome sir...

They went back to the video enjoying the wink with a hearty and excited smile...

TBC...